Published on, Sept. 1 -- September 1, 2025 7:12 PM

Islamabad - Defence Minister Khawaja Asif blamed unchecked commercial construction on waterways for the devastation caused by recent floods. Speaking during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Asif said this destruction was the result of human negligence, not a natural disaster.

He criticized the trend of building housing societies and hotels on riverbanks and natural drainage paths. "We narrowed rivers, sold plots inside streams, and now act surprised when nature pushes back," he said. Asif stressed that rivers' land was illegally used for housing projects, especially in areas like Sialkot, which led to floodwaters entering populated zones.

Asif lamented that de...